"Life will not go according to plan, if you do not have a plan!" The same holds true to your advertising efforts, if you do not have a plan, you're wasting time and money!

To begin, there the old saying of Paul Gaugin that speaks volumes when he said "I shut my eyes in order to see."

What I believe he means to a degree is in order for greater success, you have to stop thinking about the norm and seek out those means that are new, different or innovated ways of approaching new ideas.

For an example, think about the many automotive adverts we see each day that are promoted by all the major car manufactures. If one idea or ad worked, we would see the same ad over and over, but we don't.

So in this article we want to expand the opportunity to reach outside the standard norm of advertising a product or service and start in a new direction of promoting the sale rather than the traditional means of selling the product.

Over the years I've worked with clients who devoted countless hours and capital to develop a database of products and services but invested little attention or money in promoting their offers. To me it was like buying a Ferrari and then using the cheapest fuel. Sure it will run, but will it give you optimal performance you expect?

What is the difference between promoting the "selling process" over that of "selling the product"?

We all know that a successful selling process will "inspire" the reader (consumer) to purchase the product and that is done through the concept of promoting the product rather that selling the main points of the product.

So what is the difference between promoting and selling? For a great example, evaluate the following two adverts for a set of gloves.

The first is the standard, although very good copy, norm for selling the benefits of a product.
Headlines: Fun in the snow? (they need serious performance!)


- Waterproof, windproof, and insulated to keep hands warm and dry.
- Fingers are specially constructed to fit better.
- Reinforced fingertips won't blow out.
- Palms give you a good grip.

Now the next ad copy "promotes" the product in more of a personal way of communicating and affords the reader to fill in the blanks and to "imagine" the benefits that the reader sees or relates with if they purchased the product.

Headlines: Let nary a pinky go cold!

The warmest parka in the world won't do much good if your hands get cold and soggy. Slip on our sporty snow gloves, and you'll be ready to play all day. First, the rugged nylon shell is ready for rough wear, and we've reinforced key stress areas like the palm and fingertips.

Next, a waterproof liner protects the insulation, so these gloves keep their warming power. And the inside is lined with cloud-soft microfleece, a haven on raw days. Even the fingers will fit better, thanks to technical fourchette construction.

Gloves have elastic wrists with cinch strap to seal out snow and slush. Plus there's a small zip pocket on the back of the hand for a locker key. Ready for a full day in the snow? Don't forget our sporty snow gloves and they are machine washable!

As you can see in the above ad copy there's a description that tells a beautiful story about the product and inspires you to "feel" how it will improve your quality of life. In the traditional selling of a product you'll get the vital statistics: size, fabric, color, etc. and some elusive description of the benefits the product offers.

Which one makes you want to buy?

So when creating a powerful ad campaign and plan, you must plan on communicating with the reader (consumer) in a way that really is communicating face-to-face.

Imagine we are at a party and you ask me what I'm selling and I answered with the first ad copy and stopped. Would you be inspired to buy from me?

The latter copy (communication/story) leaves you thinking/feeling and I bet you would be more inclined to carry on the conversation with me about the product, the start of the selling process.

Ponder Point:

The idea is to "promote" the start of a conversation with the reader about the product instead of leaving the reader with a choice of yes or no after hearing the ad copy. You want the imagination of the reader to lead them to desiring to know more and the best way to get that started is through telling a story about the product/service.

So how do you develop a new idea for ad copy that promotes/inspires the reader to "feel" how it will improve the quality of their life and desire to learn more?

Developing a new idea is daunting when you don't know where to start, so the best place to start is investing a little time when it comes to building a collection of background material on the product.

The Secret for New Ideas

Get your hands/eyes on everything you can get your hands on about the product: information on brand positioning, marketing materials, press releases, research reports, examples of competitors' web sites, industry publications, etc.

Don't filter what you think will be relevant to the task, thinking you'll save time. You never know what might spur an idea from the information you've gathered while working on a project. The more information you collect and read, the more you are fueling your creative machine (mind) that will sooner than later, evolved into some great ideas!

Some of the best ideas ever, have come not when concentrating on developing such an idea but when the subconscious takes you by surprise. The more information you have gathered about the product/service, you'll leave little to chance.

Remember what I mentioned in the beginning: Buying a Ferrari and then using the cheapest fuel will not deliver the performance you're expecting, so invest the time to get to know your product and the ideas will evolve.

The adage of "an interesting story is well worth the investment in personal research" is understated when it comes to building a successful ad campaign and plan.

A great promotional story not only makes for better reading, it can differentiate your message from the competition's, so make an investment in high performance fuel to power your selling machine.

So the best way to inspire the ideas that will be the cornerstone of your ad campaign is to nurture an active and open mind that will more readily furnish you with bright, innovative concepts.

So remember, "I shut my eyes in order to see" (Paul Gaugin) is really letting go of the traditional way of advertising and start promoting a story that inspires the reader, and anyone can achieve greater results

Dave Gilbert